One of my fondest memories is church potlucks. There was no end to the delicious entrees the church ladies brought, including funeral potatoes! I decided to put my twist on this classic casserole by including two of my best-selling seasonings and cooking it on the Traeger Ironwood XL. 

The end result is a delicious, gooey, cheesy dish that you can bring to any function! There’s always a holiday right around the corner, and these Smoked Funeral Potatoes are sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Bonus: You can make this dish in advance for easy holiday meal prep!

Smoked Funeral Potatoes on the Traeger Ironwood XL | Heath Riles BBQ

If you’ve never had Funeral Potatoes, you’re in for a treat. This classic dish makes an appearance at nearly every Midwest and Southern church potluck, work gathering, and holiday. Once you try it, it’s bound to become part of your family’s tradition, too! 

The Ingredients

My Smoked Funeral Potatoes use simple ingredients to create a comforting casserole to remember. Here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart. 

• Onion. Diced onion gives the Smoked Funeral Potatoes a delicious hint of spice. It also adds great texture. Feel free to use more or less, depending on your preference. 
• Sour cream. Every hashbrown casserole needs a little dairy, and sour cream adds so much richness. You don’t need much; just a cup is enough to get the job done. 
• Cream of chicken soup. Cream of chicken soup is a classic ingredient in any potluck dish. It adds poultry flavor and gives the casserole a down-home flavor that can’t be beaten. 
• Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeńo Rub. This zesty rub is my best-seller, and it’s easy to see why! Many are ditching salt and pepper to go with this refreshing AP rub. You can use it on chicken, casseroles, burgers, and popcorn. 
• Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub. This tasty seasoning blend contains multiple notes of garlic. It’s a great addition to Smoked Funeral Potatoes, garlic bread, salad dressings, meat, or veggies. Once you have a bottle, you’ll want to put it on everything. 
• Cheddar cheese. Freshly shredded cheddar cheese gives the casserole a gooey texture. You can also use pepper Jack, swiss, or Monterey Jack. The sky’s the limit! I do recommend freshly shredded cheese, as it melts better. 
• Frozen hashbrowns. Gone are the days of spending hours shredding potatoes for casseroles. Frozen hashbrowns are a great shortcut ingredient that tastes just as good as freshly shredded taters. 
• Butter. Melted butter helps the ingredients mix well, and it gives our cornflake topping the perfect amount of crispiness. Be sure to use butter, not margarine. There is no comparison! 
• Cornflakes. Cornflakes are an easy topping that tastes great with the creaminess of Smoked Funeral Potatoes. I like to crush my cornflakes a little so every bite has the ideal texture.

The Smoker Setup

Here’s the main equipment I used for this recipe. More of my grilling favorites are in the Equipment and Tools section. 

• Pellet grill/smoker. I cooked these Smoked Funeral Potatoes on the Traeger Ironwood XL.  This pit is incredible because you can use it to grill or smoke. The Traeger Ironwood XL has many excellent features, like a pellet sensor, a super smoke button, and easy transportation. You can’t go wrong with the Traeger Ironwood XL if you cook large quantities of food. It’s roomy without taking up your entire patio. Plus, it’s ultra-durable, lasting for years!

• Pellets. I stoked the pit with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets. I love this brand because you get clean smoke with no fillers. It gives the potatoes a rich, deep flavor that tastes authentic. 

The Process for Making Smoked Funeral Potatoes

You can find a detailed demonstration of this cook in the recipe video and card. For now, here’s a quick rundown of how I pulled these tasty Smoked Funeral Potatoes together. 

1. Fire up the pit. I stoked the Traeger Ironwood XL with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 300℉.
2. Mix the filling. I placed the diced onion, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and a dash of  Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub in a large bowl, mixing until smooth. 
3. Add cheese. Next, I folded most of my shredded cheese into the bowl, leaving just a little for the topping. Last, I gently mixed in the hashbrowns and melted butter. Watch the video to learn how I use the leftover hashbrowns! 
4. Season to taste. To finish the filling, I added another dash of Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. This really amps up the butter flavor, giving the Smoked Funeral Potatoes a delicious BBQ twist. 
5. Assemble the casserole. I mixed the cornflakes with the butter, then crushed it with my gloved hand. Next, I sprayed a 9x13-inch pan with cooking oil. I gently spread the filling in the pan, then added the reserved cheese, followed by the cornflake topping.  
6. Start cooking. I set the casserole dish on the Traeger Ironwood XL and let it cook for one hour. I let the Smoked Funeral Potatoes cool before serving. The only thing left to do is dig in! 

The Results

The Smoked Funeral Potatoes came off the pit looking gorgeous. This is a dish you’ll be proud to serve anyone! The potatoes were rich, creamy, gooey, and full of smoky goodness. 

Storing Leftovers

You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. 

You can also make this dish in advance and store it in the fridge uncooked. Just wait to add the cornflake topping until baking it! 

Equipment and Tools

Traeger Ironwood XL, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood pellets, disposable cutting board, cooling rack, Heath Riles Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves, mixing bowls, ThermoWorks Hi-Temp Silicone Spatula